Swiss leisure airline Edelweiss is undergoing a change at the top. Edi Wolfensberger will take over as CEO from Bernd Bauer on October 1, 2026, who is leaving the company after twelve years.
The Lufthansa Group's board of directors has appointed the 45-year-old Swiss national as its successor, an internal candidate. Wolfensberger most recently served as Chief Operating Officer on the management board of Eurowings since April 2022 and previously held operational management positions at Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa Aviation Training Switzerland. He began his career in the aviation industry in 2008 at Swiss International Air Lines in the finance and commercial sector.
Outgoing CEO Bernd Bauer has significantly shaped Edelweiss's development since taking office in 2014. During this period, the airline's workforce grew from under 500 to nearly 1.700 employees, while its route network expanded to more than 100 destinations. In addition to modernizing the fleet by integrating Airbus A340 aircraft and preparing for the deployment of modern Airbus A350s, Bauer steered the company through the pandemic. From 2022 to 2025, he also served concurrently as CEO of the German subsidiary Discover Airlines. The 60-year-old's departure is in accordance with the standard retirement ages for senior executives within the Lufthansa Group.
The change in management coincides with a period of organizational and operational adjustments within the group. Edelweiss's integration into the parent company's international network necessitates close coordination of capacities and flight schedules with the Zurich hub. By appointing an operationally experienced manager, the group's management is prioritizing continuity in operational processes and coordination among the various subsidiaries.
Industry observers point to the challenging market environment in European leisure air travel, where Edelweiss operates. In addition to fluctuating kerosene prices and capacity constraints in European airspace, the company faces competition from other European leisure airlines. For Wolfensberger, maximizing the utilization of the expanded fleet capacity while simultaneously securing operating margins will be a key task in the coming years.